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Chapter 1

Shiver was alive

Lucas Vallois leaned over the waist-high wall and surveyed the first floor of his favorite club, pride sending a welcoh hi to the uest DJ played while six bartenders expertly crafted unique drinks and cracked open beers with speed and finesse Low and inti created secluded areas for stolen moments

He sh because he could see bare skin fro the temperature in those corners

A different world existed on the second floor

Lucas turned and settled across from his assistant on the supple black leather sofas They were cool to the touch thanks to the steady strea vents Fall had settled into Cincinnati and the surrounding river valley, but the crisp, evening temperatures outside couldn’t cut the body heat that tried to lift the teits But even without that, Lucas dehtclub

How could you expect anything less at a place called Shiver?

Lucas leaned forward and picked up one of the glasses Taking a sip of water, he kept his eyes locked on the petite blond with the wide blue eyes seated across fro coats to her business suits when they’d started h heat rose, the upstairs couldn’t co, crowded bodies below Candace’s hands flew before her as she signed a list of updates regarding business contracts, negotiations, and other interests he had brewing He nodded,mental notes of where he would need to follow up the next day

When the ed, a swift jab of annoyance ers instantly halted, but Lucas shook his head once, indicating that his froasn’t due to anything she had signed

God, he hated trance It all sounded the fucking saital What happened to the days of Trent Reznor’s raw voice and screaainst the walls? Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM, Thrill Kill Kult, Skinny Puppy, and Front 242 echoed through some of his more pleasant memories, but it seemed as if they didn’t have a place now Of course, whenever he brought it up to one of his friends, they would snicker andold

Restless, he returned his glass to the table, pushed to his feet, then motioned for Candace to halt before he walked back to the half wall Shiver had been open for ht it was open Of the three nightclubs he owned, it was the most popular and his most successful Bodies writhed in dance and alcohol flowed in a constant streaht for spots on his calendar and celebrities ular appearances It was the place to see and be seen in Cincinnati

But Shiver would probably be closing in a year If he was lucky,for the cliffs And as hot noouldn’t be hot in a few years Nightclubs—the truly profitable ones—never stayed on top for more than a few years at best Lucas had learned to close his clubs as sales started to dip, ti up at the same time

Shiver was his favorite The sleek,an impact

Candace rose and stepped up to the wall in his peripheral vision, but she waited for hiaze slipped over the two bars and dance floor that were visible Shiver wasn’t at capacity yet, but it was close

He turned his gaze on his assistant and she i through the air The sleeves of her slim, red coat flapped around her wrists

“Table service is booked for tonight and all weekend,” she reported “The whiskey distributor has agreed to our terms We will have the new contract on Monday”

Lucas nodded and she i else to say Some of the tension eased from his shoulders It had taken him six tries to find an assistant who could keep up with hin language It proved to be an excellent opportunity to pick up fluency in a fourth language Three nights a week, Lucas surveyed each of his clubs and he refused to shout instructions over the pounding music until he was hoarse He also would not be shouted at in his own club Of course, ly believed he was deaf, but that was fine It kept him unapproachable